In the following discussion, certain articles and methods will be described for background and introductory purposes. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under the applicable statutory provisions.
Golf swing power generation is a primary determinant of driving distance and can be estimated using clubhead speed at impact (CSI). However, achieving the very high club head speeds typical of professional swings requires a surprisingly complex set of activities that appear not to be properly understood by golfers or coaches. There appears to be a general belief among players, coaches and other professionals that the individual player's golf swing is beyond scientific evaluation and only can be effectively analyzed and improved by human observation; however, professionals and coaches are beginning to embrace quantitative analysis in addition to visual analysis.
With this in mind, rotational biomechanics have been identified as a key element influencing power generation, though analysis of professional golf performance has previously focused on events that occur at specific time points. No analysis to date has identified a combination of key parameters and benchmark curves that can be assessed simultaneously and that demonstrate elite golf performance throughout the duration of the swing and in relation to phases of the golf swing.
Thus, there is a desire in the field to define benchmark parameters that can be used to assess a user's movement during a golf swing to allow focused feedback as to how the user can modify his or her swing to generate more power and reduce injury. The present invention addresses this need.